Was Ist Das Events

Thursday July 22nd 2010 @ Hole In t’ Wall, Hangingroyd lane, Hebden Bridge

8.00pm, free entry.

Jasper TX [ http://www.myspace.com/jaspertx ]

Jasper TX is the musical moniker of Sweden’s Dag Rosenqvist. Using electric and acoustic guitar, piano, pump organ, melodica, glockenspiel, voice and various other instruments as a foundation for his compositions, Dag has managed to create his own musical universe. Elements of post rock, drone, improvisation, noise and lo-fi aesthetics mix with a melodic pop sensibility that results in something quite unique. Dag grew up in a strictly religious town in southern Sweden and from an early age he used music as a way to escape from mundane small town life. Initially just a means to preserve ideas, Dag began to record songs onto a 4-track portable cassette recorder and Jasper TX was born. After eventually realising that he could do something more with the recordings he slowly began to refine both his musical ideas and his recording skills.

Mark Templeton [ http://www.myspace.com/marktempleton ]

Canadian artist Mark Templeton utilizes a background in acoustic music and instruments such as the guitar, banjo and accordion to compose electro-acoustic music using said instruments and a variety of effects processes. Since the release of his critically acclaimed Standing on a Hummingbird in 2007, his sound has been called “pastoral,” but also”painterly” in an attempt to describe how his instruments are crumbled and reconstructed into new forms; a process further developed and realized on his 2009 release, Inland. Mark’s works have been commissioned by organizations of contemporary dance, film and audiovisual disciplines. His live performances have at times been accompanied by Edmonton-based experimental filmmaker aAron Munson’s visuals. In 2009 this ongoing collaboration resulted in the release of M. Templeton & aA. Munson: Acre Loss on CD and DVD.

Danny Saul [ http://www.myspace.com/dannysaul ]

Danny Saul (guitar, vocal) has been an active part of a largely undocumented Manchester music scene for nearly 10 years. After playing guitar with the now-defunct Tsuji Giri (whose self-released Steve Albini-recorded album came out in 2005), Danny began developing a more personal compositional and performance method. Two limited CD EP releases (Balance in 2006 and History in 2007) illustrates his first studio attempts to combine intricate composition with overloaded noise. A parallel ‘career’ as half of ‘pub ambient’ improvising duo Liondialer (alongside Greg Haines – a documentary collage collection of their Manchester pub audience-baiting live sets was released as Liondialer – LIVE! in 2009) has since fed into his solo live work – Danny’s music and solo performances now exist in some undefined and uneasy grey area between singer-songwriter and experimental noise manipulator. The complexity of his highly-developed acoustic picking style has been slowly subsumed by slabs of layered and processed guitar sound, while still always serving the needs of his oppressive songwriting.

+ the Was Ist Das Soundsystem trying to fill in the musical gaps

Due to unforeseen circumstances Jasper TX has had to cancel his UK tour. Memór [http://www.myspace.com/hjimmeln] will take his place.

Nicked Drake [Nick Drake tribute from Gareth Dickson] + Ian Hinton-Smith + Johnny Powell + Was Ist Das Soundsystem

Nicked Drake [www.myspace.com/nickeddrake]
Gareth Dickson is the tour guitarist for Vashti Bunyan and has worked with great musicians like Devendra Banhart, Juana Molina and Coco Rosie. In addition Gareth records under his own name and has releases on Drifting Falling, Slow Flow and Benbecula. Gareth will play Nick Drake’s Pink Moon album, as close as possible to the way it was written.

Ian Hinton-Smith
Ian first made his name as the guitar player for Alfie [Twisted Nerve/Regal Records] but also played most of the drums on Badly Drawn Boy’s classic debut album “The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast”. Since then, he went on to play with Jim Noir which lead to the formation of his last band The Beep Seals.

Johnny Powell [http://www.myspace.com/johnnypowellmusic]
Deftly fingerpicked folk loveliness from a local favourite. During 2009, Johnny Powell began the creation of a large collection of alternative folk material for his new solo project using the harp, acoustic guitar, vocals and electronics (www.johnnypowell.com). The songs also involve a variety of strange and unexpected recorded clips and the use of unexpected, yet meaningful objects (curtain rails, toy cars, high heels, graveyard noises etc…) all designed to have symbolic links to the lyrics, and add intentional atmosphere to the music.

Was Ist Das Soundsystem
Spinning a mixture of drone & folk between sets.

Very sorry, had to pull out of this one due to a family matter. Should still be a top night, though

Was Ist Das Soundsystem won’t be DJing at Hibernate’s May event [same venue, 19th May with Simon Scott + Machinefabriek + Clem Leek + Relmic Statute + Sphereleus DJ, we will be there though, if you wish to buy us a pint. That's a royal we, in case you fear a round] but returns in June for this little cracker:

Hibernate present:

Friday June 4th 2010 @ Hole In t’ Wall, Hangingroyd lane, Hebden Bridge

8.00pm, free entry.

The Declining Winter [http://www.myspace.com/thedecliningwinter]

When the brothers Adams allowed Hood an extended sabbatical it was always going to be interesting to see how far their musical paths would diverge from their unmistakable blueprint. Now temporarily freed from the pressures and expectations of the Hood environment, Richard Adams has breathed an audible sigh of relief into his new project, The Declining Winter. After releasing their debut album ‘Goodbye Minnesota’ to rave reviews, touring the UK with ambient legends Stars of the Lid and making their debut European appearance at the Tanned Tin festival in Spain in November 2008, their second album, ‘Haunt the Upper Hallways’, was released on Home Assembly Music in July last year.

Fieldhead [http://www.myspace.com/fieldhead]

Fieldhead is P. Elam (a resident of Leeds, UK). He produces ambient/electronic music that delights in tape hiss, geography, bleak landscapes and decaying analogue loops. He is also a full time member of The Declining Winter and a part time member of Glissando’s Fleeting Glimpse Ensemble.

Johnny Powell [http://www.myspace.com/johnnypowellmusic]

Deftly fingerpicked folk loveliness from a local favourite. During 2009, Johnny Powell began the creation of a large collection of alternative folk material for his new solo project using the harp, acoustic guitar, vocals and electronics (www.johnnypowell.com). The songs also involve a variety of strange and unexpected recorded clips and the use of unexpected, yet meaningful objects (curtain rails, toy cars, high heels, graveyard noises etc…) all designed to have symbolic links to the lyrics, and add intentional atmosphere to the music.

Was Ist Das Soundsystem

Spinning a mixture of indie, ambient & folk between sets.

Tomorrow we sail + Hidden Bek + Was Ist Das? Soundsystem

Thursday May 13th 2010 @ Hole In t’ Wall, Hangingroyd lane, Hebden Bridge

8.00pm, free entry.

Tomorrow We Sail [www.myspace.com/tomorrowwesail]

Tomorrow We Sail are a Leeds-based six-piece, formed in early 2009. Influenced by music as divergent as folk, classical ambience and slowcore, they switch effortlessly from hushed tones to ear-splitting walls of noise, taking the familiar template of post-rock but with a melodicism rarely found in the genre. TWS also feature members of Glissando’s Fleeting Glimpse Ensemble.

Hidden Bek

Former members of Hebden Bridge heroes Widykeff create a slowcore inspired sonic paradise, where reverbed melodies effortlessly melt away into the ether. Hidden Bek have split! However, a new support act is confirmed and I think it’s a great choice:

The Window Right!

Was Ist Das Soundsystem
Spinning a mixture of drone, ambient & folk between sets.

Ultan Conlon + Ian Hinton-Smith + DJ sets from Was Ist Das Soundysystem & Dawn Hinton-Smith


Ultan Conlon the Irish singer songwriter who has worked with John Martin among others.

Ian was the guitar player for Alfie [Twisted Nerve/Regal Records] and The Beep Seals. He also backed Badly Drawn Boy not only for live performances alongside the rest of Alfie but also played on most of the Mercury prize winning debut album “The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast”. Ian will be showcasing what comes next.

DJ sets from Dawn Hinton-Smith [B-Music] & the Was Ist Das soundsystem, keeping it mellow as we’ll probably be bringing our newborns along.

Hibernate Recordings presents

8.00pm, free entry!!

Last Harbour [www.myspace.com/lastharbour]

Based in Manchester, Last Harbour are an expansive collective featuring an array of classical instrumentation as well as guitar, bass and drums. Their new album ‘Volo’ is out in February 2010 and was co-produced by the band and Richard Formby (Wild Beasts, Herman Dune, Spacemen 3, Dakota Suite). From dusty laments to doom-filled rock, from starkly beautiful duets to drifting clouds of looped noise, there’s always an intensity that strikes hard. It’s a highly original record featuring the band’s strongest songs and most creative arrangements of their career to date.

The band have had the honour of touring and playing alongside Willard Grant Conspiracy, Mark Mulcahy, Michael Gira (Swans/Angels of Light), Dirty Three, Grails, Califone, The Drones, The Handsome Family, Devendra Banhart, David Thomas Broughton, Black Heart Procession, and Great Lake Swimmers.

Hidden Bek

Former members of Hebden Bridge heroes Widykeff create a slowcore inspired sonic paradise, where reverbed melodies effortlessly melt away into the ether.

Cool Piano Roll [www.myspace.com/coolpianoroll]

From Hebden Bridge, winners of the Musician Centre Battle Of The Bands 2009, Cool Piano Roll pick up from where they left off and return to deliver their genre-spanning arrangements and off-kilter hooks

+ Was Ist Das Soundystem on the decks

The Was Ist Das soundsystem will be playing ambient & drone between bands at this rather fine event:

Free entry!!!

SVARTE GREINER [www.myspace.com/svartegreiner]

Svarte Greiner is the one man project of Erik K. Skodvin (one half of the duo Deaf Center and the man behind the Miasmah label). While the duo create dusty grey soundscapes in a surrealistic world of sounds not far from that of David Lynch/Angelo Badalamenti, Svarte Greiner is further exploration into a darker, more mysterious and disturbed universe. Drawing inspirations from artists such as Earth, Volcano The Bear, David Darling & Deathprod, the output is draped in lynchian mysticism and horror film cinematics.

ITHACA TRIO [http://www.myspace.com/ithaca]

An ever shifting group of people, Ithaca Trio also manage to cover a variety of styles in their music – ranging from slow burning deep ambient pieces reminiscent of Machinefabriek on a calm day or Jasper TX, they’re also at home producing clear as a bell rythmic pieces based around (ahem) ‘real’ instrumentation, taking nods from Steve Reich or John Fahey.

JEDNOTA [http://www.myspace.com/jednota1]

Jednota is a project from yorkshire who has found freedom by making music on his own rather than playing and writing music with other people. The whole concept is finding music within music, sounds from natural things rather than just using ‘normal’ instruments and instead using wind up toys and music boxes and samples from film, tv and radio.

RELMIC STATUTE [http://www.myspace.com/relmicstatute]

Relmic Statute is Leeds-based artist David Horner, who assembles lulling, grainy soundscapes based on the splicing of field recordings collected from cassettes and old 1/4-inch tape.

Link to facebook page for this event: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=299878469258&ref=mf

Monthly residency at The Zephyr bar in Huddersfield in 2007/2008 as part of the Noisebox showcase.

Also at the Noisebox Festival at Huddersfield’s Lawrence Batley Theatre in 2007 and 2008.